Philadelphia Phillies midseason report card: Grading the bullpen
By David Esser
Jose Alvarado: D
There’s genuinely so much potential with Jose Alvarado, but he’s yet to even come close to finding it while wearing a Philadelphia Phillies uniform. His triple-digit fastball and devastating sinker are two of the best pitches in baseball when located in the strike zone, which is where the problem arises. Jose has some of the worst pitch command that I’ve ever seen.
His frequent walks and wild pitches have led to a 4.54 ERA, and a rather disappointing first half of the season.
Sam Coonrod: C
Another high-velocity arm that Dombrowski acquired via trade during the offseason, Sam Coonrod has had a very similar season to that of Jose Alvarado. Both players flashed a lot of early potential due to their 100+ MPH fastballs and high strikeout numbers, before coming back down to earth a little later in the season. Coonrod has been a tad less chaotic compared to Alvarado, hence the slightly higher grade, however still nothing to write home about. His current 4.18 ERA and 1.286 WHIP are both likely higher than what Dave Dombrowski was expecting during the initial trade agreement.
A lot of Coonrod’s value rides on how he looks once he returns from the current injury that he’s dealing with.
Ranger Suarez: A
The one shining star on this list, Ranger Suarez has been a blessing from above this season. Not only was he the team’s best long-man through the first 60+ games or so, but he’s since taken control of primary closer duties. He’s already recorded two saves, including an absolutely insane 7-out save against the Boston Red Sox leading into the All-Star break.
Suarez’ current 0.6 fWAR comfortably ranks atop all Philadelphia Phillies relievers.